


Of Coffee and Croissants

by adverbialstarlight



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Meet-Cute, aczor needed some love, kind of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-25 22:03:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14986550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adverbialstarlight/pseuds/adverbialstarlight
Summary: Acxa has a public image of being tough and serious, which means people always assume that she likes her coffee bland and creamless, but the truth is she likes it sweet and full of sugar and milk. Usually she doesn't care about other peoples' opinions on the matter, but in attempt to impress the cute barista behind the counter at a new cafe, Acxa swaps her drink with Lotor's disgusting, plain black coffee. Suffering ensues.Based off the prompt "Person 1 works at a coffee shop and Person 2 goes there for the first time. Person 2 usually gets a lot of cream and sugar for their coffee, but they are captivated by Person 1 and want to impress them, so they order their coffee black and attempt to drink the whole thing."





	Of Coffee and Croissants

Acxa had a bit of a reputation. With her heavy black combat boots, ripped grey skinny jeans, and apparent resting bitch face, it was impossible not to. She was a fierce, tough as nails badass not to be messed with.

The girl's militant appearance seemed to make people assume that she was a plain black coffee type of person, that there was no way that a girl like that would regularly drink her coffee as a milkshake. Which is why every time she went into a coffee shop and ordered her iced mocha with extra whipped cream, she would also gain amused snickering from her peers. But Acxa drank her mocha unabashedly, challenge in her eyes at anyone who looked like they wanted to give her shit for it.

Usually anyway. She did not yet know but today fate would not allow it, because nothing can run smoothly when you need it to be.

Most days Lotor was fine with going to the nearest Starbucks for his daily dose of caffeine, but this morning they moved past each chain restaurant without a second glance. Acxa followed without question, not even looking up from her phone until they stopped in front of a small, very clearly local cafe. She studied the faded pastel blue sign. In elegant white script were the words _The Cosmic Cafe_ with plastic stars from Party City dangling from the bottom.

Acxa tilted her head in question, but Lotor only shrugged. “A recommendation from a friend,” he explained “We’ve time this morning so I thought that we might stop in for a few minutes. I hear the pastries are excellent.”

The bell chimed as Acxa pushed open the door, letting it close behind Lotor. The best way to describe the Cosmic Cafe was cozy; many of the tables were low to the ground and had beanbags sitting around the edges instead of chairs, the walls were filled with pictures of spacecrafts, supernovas, constellations, and of course, more plastic stars that flashed against the natural light streaming in from the windows. It smelled of brewing coffee and frosting, and rock music played softly from the register. The ambiance was much calmer than the one created by pompous businessmen and sleep deprived college students in the Starbucks closer to the heart of the city, and it took all of Acxa’s practiced discipline not to inhale deeply and smile.

Instead, she walked over to study the case of cookies and pastries. True to Lotor’s word, they all looked delicious, particularly a brownie that was dusted with edible glitter and sprinkles. All of the food that was in the display were works of art, intricately decorated and unique from anything she’d ever seen before, though what really caught Acxa’s breath was the girl behind the counter with startling blue eyes and a dazzling smile.

“Hey,” the she said cheerily, somehow sounding more intimate than a simple customer service greeting. Acxa watched dazedly as the girl flipped back a multicolored ponytail and leaned forward against the counter. “What can I get you guys today?”

Acxa usually prided herself in staying pretty composed around attractive females, but it seemed that the universe was not on her side today. Instead of replying, she continued to stare at the girl, fidgeting with a loose thread in her jeans. Acxa realized with a start that she’d completely forgotten to say anything and internally kicked herself. _Wow, way to be fucking weird_ , she thought in nervous irritation. She talked to people every single day, was even good at it most days, but now of all times her brain had to shut down.

Perfect.

Luckily Lotor saved her, coming up to the counter with his own winning smile. “One plain black coffee and a mocha, please. Extra whipped cream on that. And perhaps two of those,” he said confidently, pointing towards the jelly filled croissants in the case Acxa was in front of.

The girl nodded. “Of course.”

As she made to grab their croissants, the two made eye contact again. Acxa refused to look away first, hoping the flush on her cheeks wasn’t visible. “Here you go,” the barista said airily, handing Acxa the plate with another mirthful smile that she would deny made her heart quicken and chest tighten. Their fingers brushed slightly as it was passed over and Acxa nearly dropped the plate.

She mumbled a thank you and stepped back, eyes trained on the croissants. She definitely did not notice that there were sequin stars glossed into the barista’s coral nail polish when she passed over the food or how adorable that was.

When the barista turned her back to them to make their drinks, Lotor turned to Acxa with an amused smirk. She kicked him in the shin, returning the smug look when he winced. Most people wouldn’t be able to get away with something like that, but having grown up with Lotor, the two were practically siblings and he knew it was not hostile.

Acxa went and sat down in one of the beanbags. It was bright red, covered in pictures of strawberries, and incredibly comfortable. She unlocked her phone with the intention of finishing writing a work email but instead ended up watching the barista girl make their drinks. Despite no one else in the cafe waiting to be served, she worked quickly and skillfully, and Acxa was pretty sure that she was also quietly singing along with whatever song was playing.

 _That’s kind of cute_. Acxa startled and tore her gaze away. No. Not cute. She was not the kind of person that saw a pretty girl with bright colored hair in a coffee shop and thought that it was cute. Cute was not a word in her regular vocabulary. She didn’t have time for flowery girls with bright smiles and playful voices.

Maybe this trail of thought is why when Lotor came over with their drinks, Acxa took Lotor’s mug of black coffee instead of her own and took a large sip, hyper aware of the barista watching them. “Thanks,” she said, forcing back a grimace. Gods and goddesses it was absolutely _awful_. Lotor, also a master of feigning impassiveness only raised a pale eyebrow and took a sip of the mocha.

Acxa wanted to snatch her mocha from him and scream about how terrible his coffee was, but instead just took another sip. She winced and resisted spitting it back into the cup. What happened to not caring about not caring about people seeing her drink her mochas? She was never going to see the pretty barista ever again, they didn’t venture into this part of the city often, so why did she care so damn much about impressing her?

Lotor was very deliberately slurping at the whipped cream and might as well have been on the ground cackling. She glared leveled at her friend and choked down another gulp. It’d be weird if she chugged it all in a few seconds but it’d also be clear that she’d been spitting it back in if she were to do that since they were given ceramic mugs, taking impossibly small sips of it would be suspicious and prolong her suffering, and it was too late to just say ‘fuck it’ and get something else, so…

Acxa sighed and cursed the universe and every decision she had ever made in her life.

 _Just some girl_ , she scolded herself every sip of coffee she took. _She isn’t even looking over here_ , she berated logically, reaching for one of the croissants. It was apricot jelly, which Lotor knew she despised, but Acxa would do anything to get rid of that awful taste. Just because the universe hated her back, when she snuck a glance over, the barista was staring back. As their eyes caught the barista looked away sheepishly. Another barred thought flew into Acxa’s mind. _Was she looking at me?_ No. She was watching the entire cafe to see how the customers were doing. Making sure that everyone was good with their food, which Acxa was not, but she wouldn’t say that. _Just chill the hell out._

“Are you guys doing okay over here?”

Chill failed.

Acxa bent over with wide eyes as a piece of croissant stuck itself in her throat, the barista directly in front of their table and looking down at her with concern. She grabbed the cup of coffee and took a large sip, not bothering to hide her look of disgust as it poured into her mouth and dislodged the croissant. With a look of indifference and level voice, Acxa nodded. “Yes, thank you very much.”

The girl giggled and Acxa almost started to choke again but maintained her face. “Alright then. Just let me know if you need anything else, maybe a new drink or something.” She was about to argue that her coffee was fine, but the barista beat her. “I’ve been watching you, you clearly hate it.”

Acxa’s poker face broke into one of mortification, and this time Lotor didn’t restrain his bark of laughter. In the most monotonous voice she could muster, Acxa said, “Fuck off Lotor, we both know you hate this shit as much as I do.” And then she drained the rest of the mug like it was a shot. Fighting back any physical recoil, she brushed a strand of black hair from her face and raised an eyebrow at Lotor pettily.

“I’ll take one of those star cookies with the sprinkles,” Lotor said, raising his hand slightly. “Acxa?” They both looked at her and she shook her head. “That’ll be all then,” he said, handing over a five dollar bill.

“Of course,” the barista said with a wink in Acxa’s direction. It was a miracle that she still managed to withhold a reaction.

Once she had turned, Acxa snatched Lotor’s mug, glaring flatly when there was nothing left in it, to which Lotor smiled. “I must say, you have an excellent choice of drinks, even if it were more of a milkshake.”

The barista returned with a paper napkin that held a star cookie and a covered to go cup. “Your cookie sir,” she said to Lotor. Acxa felt her chest tighten at the flirtatious way that she had said it but then rolled her eyes. Lotor was pretty handsome, of course that’d happen. But then the barista turned to her, ponytail swishing. Acxa forced her eyes not to follow it as the colored strands brushed against her bare neck and shoulder.

“And hot chocolate on the house for the cute girl who managed to drink shitty plain coffee and an apricot croissant with a straight face,” she said, handing Acxa the cup. Acxa starred in bewilderment first at the cup then at the girl.

“Uh, thank you?” she managed, their hands brushing again when she took the cup. The girl winked again, though a bit more shyly than before, but Acxa couldn’t dwell too much on that at the moment because _holy shit_. She watched the barista glide back behind the counter just as a new customer walked in.

“What the _hell_ just happened,” Acxa muttered under her breath.

Lotor brushed a crumb from his mouth daintily. “I believe that she likes you.”

Her head snapped back to him, “What?” Lotor nodded down to her cup.

She hadn’t noticed it before, but on the cardboard cup holder was the unmistakable scribbling of words. Acxa turned the sleeve to see better. First, above the “ _caution, very hot_ ” was a carrot after the comma and the words “you are”. She scoffed at the trite pickup line but blushed nonetheless. To the side of it then was “Ezor” and a phone number.

Acxa turned in her beanbag and met the cheeky looking of the barista, who she assumed was Ezor.

Ezor shrugged.

As she took a sip of her hot chocolate, this time Acxa did nothing to hide the wide grin that was beginning to form.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is a little thing I wrote in hype for Camp NaNoWriMo and because I noticed that the AO3 Acxa/Ezor tag is depressingly low on fics and most are as side so I'm going to attempt to fix that by writing a bunch of crappy short things based off prompts that are aczor. And this is the first. Sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes and stale interaction it's 2 am and I haven't done fluff in forever, but yea thanks for reading, more are to come! Have a great day/night/whatever and bye
> 
> P. S. I actualky know nothing about coffee and spent an hour crying over research on what differnt coffees are just for like one tiny detail lmao it was very educational


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